Monday, December 30, 2013

Back in May, Palm Beach County art luminaries Rolando Barrero (founder of theBoynton Beach Arts Districtand director of ActivistArtistA Gallery,) and local aspiring artist Craig McInnis met with other 561 creative minds in a brainstorming session they called “Think Tank,” with the hopes of unifying the county’s diversified arts community. The end result was Art Synergy, an amalgamating, cross-sectional, swath of genre-inclusive events designed as satellite fairs anchored to the larger ArtPalmBeach art fair held in January.

With Art Basel’s tangential art fairs in mind, Art Synergy will run from January 23-28, include over 60 galleries, studios, non-profit institutions and museums, and highlight six different art districts–each with its own arts walk.

Purehoney spoke with the 41-year-old co-organizer of Art Synergy, Craig McInnis, to gleam more info about the innovate, inaugural art fair.

PureHoney: How would you describe your art for those who are not familiar?Craig McInnis: Hmmm, that’s always a difficult one, something like pop surrealism mixed with a cartoon edge. As a fine and commercial artist, my style has become very flexible. I “adjust” as needed to suit my client’s needs, while making sure I keep my “edge.”

PH: Was Art Synergy the main result of that Think Tank meeting?CM: Think Tank has had a number of meetings and there are other initiatives in the pipeline, but Art Synergy was the first that we wanted to attack.

PH: What kind of relationship will Art Synergy have with ArtPalmBeach?CM: ArtPalmBeach was gracious enough to welcome us with open arms. Lee Ann Lester(founder of ArtPalmBeach along with her husband) is our partner and at the same time a great mentor. They have included Art Synergy in all their press and web presence. They are also providing booth space on the floor of the show to promote our events.

PH: Can you give us a brief overview of all the events during Art Synergy?
CM: There are so many different things to enjoy amongst the six participating districts in ourLOOP. Perhaps too many to even briefly mention. There will be visual art, 3D art, glass blowing, live art, music, dance, poetry, and fashion. Some districts are conventional “gallery” settings, some art walks, others more art fair, but all are definitely local and original! It is best to visit www.artsynergypbc.com (or facebook.com/artsynergypbc) to learn more about each district’s events.

Traffic was backed up along Industrial Avenue on a recent Saturday as students and parents from Manatee Elementary School west of Lake Worth filed in to the Boynton Beach Arts District after a morning beachcombing for trash to recycle into eco-art.

Jennifer Robertson, kindergarten through fifth grade Discovery Lab teacher at Manatee was inspired to bring her class to the arts district after reading an article about environmental artist "Tiki Tom" Bazinet's "Trash to Treasures" exhibit last month.

Along with co-teacher Jhanique Green, Robertson contacted Rolando Chang Barrero of ActivistArtistA Gallery and together they created a hands-on learning program, recycling beach trash into works of art.

"Rolando is wonderful," Robertson said. "He went above and beyond to create an opportunity for these kids to learn about real-life applications of recycling, sustaining the environment and creating art at the same time."

"Bringing the kids to experience art first hand provides an opportunity and a different conversation than I could have in the classroom."

"It's a chance for them to be inspired, learn about art and see real working artists in their studios, such as jewelry artist Renee Kemp, graffiti artist, Joey Cruz (aka Seez), and Stephanie Lee, who uses vinyl records to create new handbags."

"Tiki Tom and other artists see the potential in things and enable the kids to see these objects with a new perspective," Robertson said. "Where we might throw things in the trash, Tom sees art."

Robertson and Green divided the students into groups and local artists including Michael Kupillas, Dianett Doyle and Jackee Swinson gave demonstrations and worked with the children.

Cruz guided students' hands on the spray gun while creating graffiti art and quickly created signed caricatures of the students.

Bazinet used a glue gun to assist the students apply their found objects to a wooden manatee sculpture he created.

Lee, an upcycle artist, was explaining what vinyl records were and encouraging the students to be creative.

"Just use your imagination and you can make anything," she said.

Debbie Elliot, a teacher at Palm Springs Middle School accompanied her two children, Danielle, 9 and Jessica, 14, and Krista Martinelli, a writer, was there with her two children, Stella, 8, and Paul, 6.

"This is a great hands-on experience for the kids," Martinelli said. "And the whole arts district is very cool."

Student Danielle Elliot was excited to work with "Tiki Tom" in decorating the manatee and Stella Martinelli, who found turtle eggs on the beach and wants to be a filmmaker, said her favorite part was drawing Tiki Tom's sunbursts, made from recycled hubcaps, buttons and toothbrushes, in her notebook.

All the students made notebooks in which to draw and write down their inspirations.

Barrero, who put his heart and soul into his role as host said, "I was impressed by the level of participation from both parents and students. It was a joy watching the kids' excitement on the beach and in the tours of the artists' studios."

"Never before has the art district been so buzzing with the laughter and joy that only children can bring," he said.

Upcoming exhibits and events include: Sensibilities: The Photography of Ali Miranda and Cheryl Maeder and the Black and White Party at Saturday. The party is free and open to everyone.

The ArtPalmBeach kick-off celebration will be at BBAD from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Jan. 24. To register for the bus tour from the Palm Beach Convention Center, visit artalfrescoboyntonbeach or eventbrite.com/e/art-al-fresco-boynton-beach-arts-district-tickets-9459671131.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Ali Miranda is a Cuban-born, Academy of Art in San Francisco-educated artist who specializes in scintillating nudes that sometimes come enveloped in filtered hues and out-of-focus views. Equally inspired by the naked form and the play on color and light is Cheryl Maeder, a photographer trained at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich who has had work displayed at the Frost Museum and the Boca Raton Museum of Art. Both talented, top-tier working artists are featured in "Sensibilities," the end-of-the-year shebang at Boynton Beach's ActivistArtistA Gallery. Coinciding with the up-and-coming gallery's VIP "Black and White" affair, it will be a night in which local art aficionados can hobnob and view Miranda's and Maeder's scantily clad impressionistic takes -- which at times require a bit of squinting to truly admire the majesty. This affair is taking place Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. at the ActivistArtistA Gallery, located at 422 W. Industrial Ave. in Boynton Beach. It's a free show that, according to gallery owner Rolando Chang Barrero, is a formal(ish) event; wearing black or white ties is up to you. Visit ActivistArtistA.com, or call 786- 521-1199.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

GRIFF’ter Goes Legit? by Rolando Chang Barrero, WeMerge Magazine, January 2014
“It happened on the way to the ballpark,” may seem like a cliché, but for “GRIFF” it really did. GRIFF, one of South Florida’s most respected graffiti writers, says that’s exactly where it all began, “I used to ride the train to Red Sox games with my dad and be amazed by graffiti around that same time which peaked my interest in writing.”

Griff, the trackside trouble-maker from Lynn, Massachusetts, began sketching at about 7 or 8 years old. By the time he turned 15 his focus was to “bomb” the town, and try his hand at “pieces.” That decision has paid off better then he imagined. Now, working on large scale “productions,” and “commission’s,” Griff after 3 separate arrests (for graffiti), now call’s himself a “Legal Eagle.” Never the less, his real identity remains hidden---umm, maybe not such a “Legal Eagle” after all!

Rolling up to meet me in his mint condition 1988 Chevy Caprice Classic which sit’s on a set of 22’s, the sometimes humble, at times arrogant, but all the time talented, Griff has some really specific thoughts on graffiti and “street art.” He laughs at some of the Internet “jocks” and their “new words” like “slaps.” He says, “You see them on Instagram like "Yo, lets trade slaps.” Again, he laughs. His favorite style of writing is still just Classic New York/East Coast stuff although he says that Miami has a fresh style, that is way different than stuff he saw coming up in Massachusetts and the Northeast. With no favorite artist, he claims, “ I have a deep love for all graff. from the “no-name artists” with some bass-ass elements, to the writers I work, live, and hang with… I love graff!”

A freehand writer at work in his sign shop, or on the street; Griff has made stickers in the past, but as for stencils and projections, definitely not the street.

In regards to “gallery graff” Griff is no hater, he lives and lets live. “I can't knock anybody's hustle. I'm sure if a gallery offered me to do some fancy art show and make some money I’d be right there. I’ve done a few small shows but nothing huge. Some graffiti is definitely gallery worthy and some def isn't! I feel like there are a lot of writers that do gallery work that has nothing to do with graffiti such as: oil paintings, photography sculptures etc.... A lot of writers are not only into graff –they very good classic or contemporary artists. I can't hate. Do what you love and Get money!”

Griff, now representing for “crews” like LMA, SA, and GW, when asked about his “street cred” raises his brow, tips his head and chuckles, “I'll let the streets decide….most of my stuff doesn't get buffed anymore!”

Boynton Beach's art district is helping kids from across the state develop their creative potential.

On Thursday, close to 50 students took a two-hour field trip from LaBelle to Boynton Beachto spark their artistic interest.

Fifth-grade students from Country Oak Elementary school explored sculptures on Boynton Beach's Ocean Avenue of the Arts, graffiti murals at the Boynton Beach Art District and kinetic art at the Neighborhood Gallery & Fine Art Appraisers.

LaBelle is a small town in Hendry County with a population of 4,000. The city doesn't have any public art, said Stella Luckey, fifth grade teacher at Country Oak Elementary, but she hopes her students will be the ones who can help change that.

Luckey was awarded a creative leadership grant from Crayola earlier this year. She heard about Boynton's International Kinetic Art Symposium, which was held in February, and she wanted to get her students involved somehow.

"In LaBelle, there's no public art, no galleries and the kids normally don't see things like this," she said. "The students have been in awe all day."

When the students get back to school they will work on producing kinetic art sculptures in class, which will be on display at the Hendry County court house.

Angela Taylor, a first grade teacher at Country Oak Elementary and the parent of one the students on the field trip, said the art opens people's minds to new possibilities.

"We have three red lights in our town," she said. "We're used to orange groves, banks and McDonalds'. It's dull there, but here it's very full of life."

Her son, Jesse Taylor, 11, enjoyed the kinetic art. He saw a 200-year-old whirligig — one of the first types of kinetic art, and a modern kinetic piece called 'Circles,' by Tom Brewitz, which was featured in the city's International Kinetic Art Symposium. He took pictures during the trip to create a class DVD.

"There's a lot creative things here," he said. "It's really good."

Rick Beau Lieu of the Neighborhood Gallery & Fine Art Appraisers said he hopes that the artwork inspires a next generation of artists.

"There may be one or two who are inspired to be great," he said. "They just need to see something that will move their creative juices."

While Beau Lieu's gallery has been on West Industrial Avenue since 1986, in the past few years, it has gained recognition as part of the growing Boynton Beach Art District under Rolando Chang Barrero's direction.

Public Art Administrator Debby Coles-Dobay isn't surprised though.

"This is exactly what we wanted," she said. "We wanted our arts district to become well known and have a very solid Art in Public Places program."

The Florida Arts Association and The Boynton Beach Art District celebrating the holidays with “A night under the stars” from 6-11 p.m. Thursday at the art district, 422 W. Industrial Ave., Boynton Beach. The event features performances by Lauren Krothe and Timothy Angstadt, as well as open studios, specialty vendors, food and an open mic. The event is free. Call Rolando Chang Barrero at 786-521-1199 or email BoyntonBeachArtDistrict@gmail.com

Boynton Beach, FL- The Florida Arts Association and The Boynton Beach Art District are celebrating the holidays! On Thursday, December 19, 2013 the Boynton Beach Art District will host Boynton Beach Live: A night under the stars! Boynton Beach Live will feature a special interactive performance by Lauren Krothe and Timothy Angstadt, open studios, specialty vendors, food, and an open mic. This is not your typical holiday party! Auction, Gifts, Food, and more!